Saskatchewan reports falling emissions from upstream oil and gas sector

The provincial government is reporting a fourth consecutive year of falling emissions from the upstream oil and gas sector.

According to the province’s annual report on oil and gas emissions, the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions last year were 67 per cent below levels reported in 2015. Emissions from venting and flaring at upstream facilities last year amounted to 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing a six per cent drop from 2022.

Jim Reiter, Saskatchewan’s minister of energy and resources, said the industry has been making big investments in reducing emissions, which have translated into real-world success.

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“These reductions are guided by our made-in-Saskatchewan approach to reducing emissions, which is having a significant impact when it comes to hitting our targets,” Reiter said in a statement.

The province said a number of activities have contributed to the reduction, including the addition of enclosed combustion equipment to oil wells and using vented gas as an on-site fuel.

Saskatchewan’s target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the upstream oil and gas sector by 40 to 45 per cent by 2025 when compared to 2015 levels. According to the province, Saskatchewan will likely exceed that target next year.

But while Saskatchewan is seeing success with its emission reductions in the energy sector, the province is currently pushing back against federal regulations designed to help the country transition to a net-zero energy grid, saying they would harm the provincial economy.